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Lady_Elaine

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Posted Thu Feb 28, 2008 8:19 pm...

The Hare

Witches have long been associated with Hares. In fact the Hare, like the egg, is sacred to the Goddess Eostre or Ostara, whose festival is celebrated at the Spring Equinox later this month.

When the festival was taken over and renamed Easter, the Hare's association with the Craft caused the substitution of the more 'friendly' rabbit as a symbol of the festival. However, is you look carefully at the chocolate animals you will see that many have ears far too long for a rabbit!

It was believed that a Witch could turn herself into a Hare in order to travel securely across the land, and that any injury done to the animal would show itself on the Witch in the morning. Hares were feared for this reason. Also, should a pregnant woman meet one she would tear he petticoat to avoid her child being born with a harelip. Even the name was dreaded and if mentioned at sea the boat must return lest disaster follow. Conversely, to see a Hare, and especially if it crosses your path, is considered a good omen.

The saying 'mad as a March Hare' refers to the fact that this is the month when they enter their mating season and the males chase one another and, standing on their hind legs, 'box' with their forepaws for supremacy. If you can find the time, go around the Full Moon and look for Hares as they really do seem to dance in the moonlight. If you live in the country to drive especially carefully at this time, as Hares frequently dash across the road.

If you cant explain it simply, you dont understand it well enough.-- Albert Einstein

Blessings Bright and Dark,

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Lady_Elaine

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Castle Lord

Castle Member

Forest Queen

Mariner's Shield

Posts:

6301

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May 20, 2006

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Offline

Zodiac:

Sagittarius

Chinese:

Dog

Posted Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:43 am...

"Rabbit Rabbit!"

It has been the custom in my family, for as long as I remember, for family members to greet one another on the first day of each month by saying "Rabbit Rabbit!" To say 'greet one another,' however, doesn't quite describe the custom. There is something like a contest as to who can say it first.

"Rabbit Rabbit!" can only be said once between each pair of relatives, and only on the first day of the month, and it goes only in one direction: If I say "Rabbit Rabbit!" to my brother, he cannot say it back to me; instead, he can only say something like "You got me (or 'You Rabbit Rabbited me'), but I'll get you next month." "Rabbit Rabbit!" does not have to be spoken, but can be written in a letter (lately in an email letter) or left on a phone answering machine.

We do not do this for a particular reason. The custom does not bring good luck or forefend bad; it has no ostensible purpose or utility whatever. It does of course fulfill the social function of keeping various family members in touch, but that's not why we do it. We always do it simply because we've always done it.

I have heard of a similar custom: saying either "Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit," or "White rabbit, white rabbit, white rabbit," as the first words you utter in any month, to bring on good luck*, but I have never heard of saying it to someone else. I did once read that a very similar phrase -- "rabbed rabbed" or some such -- was a dialect greeting in western England or perhaps in Cornish, but I can't remember the details.

If you cant explain it simply, you dont understand it well enough.-- Albert Einstein

Blessings Bright and Dark,

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